Archive: April 12, 2017

National Gardening Week was launched six years ago by the RHS and aims to become the country’s biggest celebration of gardening. Thousands of people, gardens, charities, retailers, culture and heritage organisations and groups have got involved over the years and you can too.

In 2017 at the RHS, National Gardening Week is all about helping new gardeners to get growing plants. Four RHS Gardens will be running activities and events which will inspire and help new gardeners, including creative ideas, tips and suggestions for plants to grow indoors and outdoors.

Here are some suggestions if you’d like to get involved in 2017.

Join the celebrationsEvents and activities are being run up and down the country. From beginners’ workshops to guided walks, face painting to garden parties, there’s something for everyone and everyone is invited. Find out what’s on.

Get involvedWould you like to throw a garden party, love your neighbourhood park or think your local street could do with a tidy up? Well if so, you can get involved in National Gardening Week by running your own event and registering it online. No matter how big or small your idea, get involved.

Do something funThere are plenty of things you can do yourself or with your family to get into the spirit of National Gardening Week, from growing tomatoes on your windowsill to sprucing up your driveway.

Gardening is good for you

A spot of gardening not only gives you a good physical workout but reduces pain and anxiety, too.

A Sunday afternoon of pottering round the garden – a bit of weeding here, mulching a bed there – doesn’t exactly seem like an arduous workout. Yet a 2006 study by Pennsylvania’s University of Scranton suggests otherwise. The team found that prolonged light exercise, such as gardening, can burn more calories than a gym session, despite feeling much easier to do.

How does this work? The key is the duration of the session. Gardening tends to be much lower intensity, but last twice or even three times as long as a trip to the gym, meaning the cumulative effect of this more modest rate of calorie-burning starts to add up.

The World Health Day is a global health awareness day celebrated every year on 7th April, under the sponsorship of the World Health Organisation (WHO). The theme for 2017 is Depression: Let’s talk.

Depression tops list of causes of ill health

Depression is the leading cause of ill health and disability worldwide. According to the latest estimates from WHO, more than 300 million people are now living with depression, an increase of more than 18% between 2005 and 2015. Lack of support for people with mental disorders, coupled with a fear of stigma, prevent many from accessing the treatment they need to live healthy, productive lives.

Depression is an illness that can happen to anybody. It causes mental anguish and affects people’s ability to carry out everyday tasks, with sometimes devastating consequences for relationships with family and friends. At worst, depression can lead to suicide. Fortunately, depression can be prevented and treated. Today, on World Mental Health Day, WHO is launching a one-year campaign: Depression: let’s talk.

Campaign at a glance

World Health Day provides a unique opportunity to mobilize action around a specific health topic of concern to people all over the world.

Depression affects people of all ages, from all walks of life, in all countries. It causes mental anguish and impacts on people’s ability to carry out even the simplest everyday tasks, with sometimes devastating consequences for relationships with family and friends and the ability to earn a living. At worst, depression can lead to suicide, now the second leading cause of death among 15-29-year olds.

Yet, depression can be prevented and treated. A better understanding of what depression is, and how it can be prevented and treated, will help reduce the stigma associated with the condition, and lead to more people seeking help.

How you can get involved

Organize an activity

Organizing an activity or event is a great way to raise awareness about depression and stimulate action, both among individuals, and on a wider scale. If you do decide to organize an event, keep in mind the following:

What are you trying to achieve?

Who are you targeting?

What would make your target audiences want to participate?

When and where will your activity be held?

Should you join up with other organizations?

Who will you invite? Are there any well-known figures who could help you achieve your goals?

Do you have the resources to achieve your goals? If not, how can you mobilize them?

How will you promote your event?

Can the media help you achieve your goals? If so, which media should you target?

How will you share information about your activities after the event?

How will you measure success?

Examples of activities that you might want to consider are: discussion forums, sporting events, workshops for journalists, art competitions, coffee mornings, concerts, sponsored activities ̶ anything that contributes to a better understanding of depression and how it can be prevented and treated.

Think about involving your organization’s champions, especially if they are influential among those you are trying to reach.

While this is a one-year campaign, and as such, activities can be organized throughout the year, we encourage you to consider hosting activities on World Health Day, 7 April 2017. Media attention is high on this day, which can generate greater awareness.